Curtain rod assembly with protective device for preventing snagging



March 6, 1962 H. MARTENS 3,023,909

H. CURTAIN ROD ASSEMBLY WITH PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SNAGGING Filed April 11, 1960 22 w I FIG. 3

INVENTOR. H. HENRY MARTENS United States Patent Ofiice 3,023,909 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,909 CURTAIN RUB ASSEMBLY WITH PROTECTIVE DEVICE FUR PREVENTING SNAGGING Harry Henry Martens, Hamden, Conn, assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 21,495 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-1053) The present invention relates to curtain rods and particularly curtain rods of the telescopically adjustable type. The invention is concerned more specifically with the combination of such a curtain rod structure with a protective device for overcoming the tendency of the curtain rod to snag or tear the fabric of the curtain or other material with which the rod is used.

The use of telescoping rods for hanging curtains and the like is kell-known. Such rods have the advantage of being adjustable to fit various sizes of windows, etc. and also are easily separable to permit the curtains to be conveniently engaged on the rods. The curtains are generally formed with a folded end portion forming a transverse pocket through which the curtain rod extends. Since the rods are usually made of sheet metal and the outer rod is tubular to permit the rods to be telescopically engaged in mutually supporting fashion, there is formed a sharp peripheral edge which easily snags or catches in the fabric of the curtain which frequently causes unsightly and damaging tears or pulls in the fabric.

It is an object of the invention to provide a protective device for a telescopically adjustable curtain rod of the type referred to which effectively overcomes the tendency of the rod to snag or tear the fabric of the curtain during insertion of the rod into the curtain or during adjustment of the curtain relative to the rod.

Included in the foregoing object is the provision of such a protective device which is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble in combination with the rods and which will not interfere with the normal operation of the rods, and will be attractive and pleasing in appearance.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a curtain rod assembly provided with the protective device of the present invention and being attached to a window frame, the latter being shown fragmentarily and in phantom;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the outer rod member showing the protective device attached to the end thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse, cross-sectional view of the end of the rod and the protective device mounted thereon; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded perspective View of the protective device and the end of the curtain rod.

Referring to the drawings, the protective device of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 in combination with a telescoping curtain rod including an inner rod which has a sliding telescopic fit with the outer tubular rod 11. The ends of the rods 10 and 11 are connected by brackets 12 to the top of a window frame 13 shown in dotted lines. As best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the outer rod 11 is of tubular sheet metal construction and is provided with a longitudinal slot 14.

The protective device of the invention comprises a relatively wide fiat ring formed of a low-friction plastic material such as high-density polyethylene, or a polyamide such as nylon, for example. The ring 20 may be molded of the plastic material and pigmented in matching or contrasting color using conventional techniques. The ring 20 is dimensioned so that its inner surface forms a close or snug fit around the outer end of the rod 16 and the edges are rounded to avoid any sharp corners. Since the ring 20 is continuous or endless, it serves the additional function of increasing the transverse dimensional stability of the rod ll. The ring 20 is further provided at its outer end with an inwardly extending flange 21 having a depth which is approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet metal from which the rod 11 is formed. Accordingly, when the protective device is placed on the end of the rod H, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flange 21 extends around and covers the face or edge surface of the rod 11. However, since the flange 21 is of approximately the same dimension as the thickness of the sheet metal of rod 11, it does not project in Wardly of the tubular rod 11 and thus does not interfere with the sliding action of the inner rod 10 which preferably has a close sliding fit with the outer rod so as to provide mutual support Without sagging. Since the ring 20 and its flange 21 are molded of a low-friction plastic material with rounded edges, the ring 20 will not snag or otherwise engage in the fabric when the curtain is moved relative to the rod as the curtain is put on the rod or adjusted thereon.

The ring 20 may be secured to the end of the rod 11 in any convenient manner including the use of adhesives, but in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing, the ring 20 is easily attached and held sufliciently secure for the intended purpose by providing small, integral rounded projections 22 on the inner surface of the ring 20 and providing corresponding apertures 23 in the end of the rod 11. In the specific embodiment, two projections 22 are provided for engagement in corresponding apertures 23 at the top and bottom of the rod 11. During assembly, the end of the rod 11 may be slightly compressed or the ring 20 expanded, or both, sufficiently to permit the ring 20 to be attached, whereupon resiliency of the material will cause the projections 22 to snap into the apertures 23 and thus effectively prevent dislodgment of the ring 2d during normal usage.

It will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that the protective device of the present invention is simple and easy to fabricate and to assemble with the curtain rod and thus may be provided at low cost, and that the protective device effectively avoids the disadvantages of conventional rods from the standpoint of snagging and tearing the fabric of the curtain during hanging and adjustment of the curtain. At the same time the assembly is pleasing and attractive in appearance and does not interfere with the normal operation of the curtain rod.

I claim:

1. In combination, a first curtain rod member adapted for attachment to a support, a second curtain rod member adapted for attachment to a support, said first and said second curtain rod members being of tubular construction with the internal dimensions of the second curtain rod being approximately the same as the external dimensions of the first curtain rod, said first curtain rod being telescopically received within the second curtain rod, said rods being in axial alignment, and a protective device adapted to prevent snagging of curtain fabric, said protective device, comprising; a ring of plastic material encompassing the end portion of the second curtain rod memher, an inwardly extending flange formed adjacent to the end of the second curtain rod for covering said end to prevent a snagging engagement with that end, said flange having internal dimensions substantially equal to the internal dimensions of the said second curtain rod memher so that the flange Will be essentially flush with the internal surface of the second curtain rod.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring is provided With a plurality of small projections on its inner surface and the end portion of said second rod member is apertured to receive the small projections whereby the ring is releasably retained in assembled position on the end of the second rod member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS Ainsworth Apr. 21, 1931 Boye Apr. 8, 1941 Kenney Mar. 2, 1948 Esoldi Mar. 2, 1954 Lehman Dec. 20, 1955 Margulis Dec. 16, 1958 

